Reflector aiming device



Aug. 11, 1936. H. c. MEAD ET AL REFLECTOR AIMING DEVICE '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1954 1935- I H. c. MEAD ET AL 2,050,724

REFLECTOR AIMING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 amen V1304 Patented Aug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFLECTOR AIIWING DEVICE Delaware Application May 4, 1924, Serial No. 723,833

3 Claims. ((1240- 115) w This invention relates to vehicle lamps and more particularly to an improved construction for mounting the reflector for proper adjustment in the casing.

' When the casing of an automobile headlight has been secured to the body, it is necessary to provide some adjusting means for directing the beam to the proper position on the road. Various means have been used to change the position of the reflector.

It is an object of this invention to provide an adjustable support for the reflector within the casing so that it may be tilted either up or down or toward one side or the other as may be desired.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a vertical adjustment for the beam that is accessible from the outside of the casing and which has indexing means to assist in setting the height of the beam.

A further object is to provide a seal between the casing and the lens instead of the usual seal between the reflector and the lens which eliminates interference with the adjusting of the reflector.

In the drawings which form a part of this specification Figure l is a side elevation partly in section showing the reflector and its adjustments.

Figure 2 is a partial section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing a detail of the adjusting screw which holds the reflector to the casing.

Figure 3 is a front view of the reflector.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are details of the parts used in the adjustable means fastened to the lower portion of the reflector.

Figures 7 and 8 are details of the parts used for supporting the two sides of the reflector.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, a headlight casing I is shown which is fastened to the headlight support by the bolt 2. The front of the headlight is covered by a lens 3 which is held in place by the rim 4. The rim 4 is provided at the top with a downturned lug 5 engaging an aperture in the top of the casing. The rim 4 is preferably of the contracting band type and is clamped about the casing by rotating turnbuckle 6. The casing I is bent in toward its central axis throughout its circumference to form a flange I and is then continued forward to form a lip 8 on said flange. A cork ring washer 9 is placed in the retainer formed by the flange and lip. A piece of flexible zinc III is wrapped around the outside perimeter of the cork to keep it in place.

A reflector I I, which holds the bulb I 2, supplied with current by the wire I3 is supported within 'secured threaded lugs I6 as by rivets II.

the casing at two points I4 and I5 on the horizontal axis of the face of the reflector. To these opposite points on the flanged edge extending at right angles to the axis of the reflector, are The vertical flange! is drilled at points in line with the lugs for the insertion of screws ll, the heads of these screws being countersunk so that they will not injure the cork band. Between the lug and the back of the flange is placed a spring I8 to hold the two at a set distance apart, depending on the distance the screw is driven through the lug.

In the center, at the lowermost portion of the flange of the reflector, a small piece I9 is punched and pressed out of the plane slightly to the front. A lever 20, which has one end bent at right angles to its longitudinal axis and then back upon itself as at 2I to form a clip, has a hole 22 on the outer face which engages the piece I9 to secure the two together. The other end of the lever is curled up into a circle 22' and carries a small shaft serving as a pivot. This shaft fits inside two loops 23' which extend from a square nut 23. This nut is threaded upon a bolt 24. An angular supporting member 25 is secured to the case at the bottom, the main axis of which runs at an angle to that of the casing. The bolt 24 engages the two upturned end portions of the member 25 and is rotatable therein. member 25 by .a cotter pin 26 at one extremity and by head 21 at the other. In assembling this unit the bolt 24 is inserted thru one of the upstanding ends of the member 25, then a spring 28 is slipped over the bolt, then the nut 23 is fed onto the end and compresses the spring 28, then the outer end of the bolt is pushed thru the other upturned end of member 25 and the cotter pin 26 inserted to hold it secure. The under side of the bolt head has a series of radial grooves 29 which flt over a series of radial ridges 39 in the upturned end 3| of member 25 when the bolt is fastened in the member 25. When the bolt is turned, therefore, the ridges 30 will push the bolt head out until the next groove comes into position opposite the ridge when it will click into contact again.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that any adjustment of either of the side screws II will tend to tilt the reflector laterally since these two screws are located on the horizontal axis. Also, any adjustment of the screw 24 will drive the nut 23, which pushes or pulls the lever 20, which in turn pushes or pulls the lower edge of the flange of the reflector. This rotates the The bolt 24 is secured in the reflector about its horizontal axis and specifically about the two screws [1. 7

The notches in the rear side of the head of bolt 25 assist in the vertical adjustment of the beam of the headlight since the operator may count the number of notches turned and so obtain an index of the height of the beam. The notches also by engagement with the ridges 39 keep the reflector in adjustment by preventing the bolt from rotating due to vibration.

It is also desired to point out that the usual cork ring seal is carried by the edge oLthe casing and does not contact with the reflector at any point. In this way any pressurethat isexe'rted' by the lens upon this ring in no way 'affectsqthe reflector.

It is therefore seen that we have provided an adjustable reflector for a headlampcwhich isad-J justable both vertically and laterally, and which has its vertical adjustment from the outside of the case and is proyidedwithan, indexiglgumeans.

.The novel .suspensionof thecork ring, seal has been pointed out in the preceding, paragraph.

1. A headlight i eluding a casing,.a reflector positioned within the casing, meansjor. resiliently mounting the reflector at the two opposite sides, and means for tippingthe reflector about an axis passing through saidmounting Ineanscomprising a lever attached to the lowermost portion ofthe reflector, a nut pivoted to vthe other end of. said lever and a bolt accessible from the outside .otthe casing to adjust the position of the nut,,abo1t head upon said bolt, the underside of which is radially grooved, a member against which this head bears which has a series of radial projections so that as the bolt is rotated a click will be heard as each projection is passed which will give an index as to the distance the bolt has been 5 turned. 7

2. In a headlamp, a casing, an opening in one iace of the, casing; an inturned flange surrounding said opening, a lip on the flange, a reflector within said casing, resilient and adjustable means sup- 10 porting the reflector from the flange at opposite points on itsv horizontal axis, adjustable means secured to the lowermost edge of the reflector for tipping the-same and being accessible from the outside of the casing, a gasket carried by said flange and lip; a lens and means supporting the lens against the gasket whereby the lens presses tightly against the casing through the gasket but the reflector is free to tilt.

3. In a headlamp, a casing, a reflector resilient1Y..and.-adjustably mounted in the, casing atthe opposite ends of its horizontal axis, means securedto, the lowermost. part of the reflector by which the latter may be tilted, saidmeans incIudingastrap secured to the reflector, a. nut pivotallysecured to the strap, a bracket secured to. and'having a portionprojecting through .the casing; apairof aligned openings in the bracket,

a bolt extending through these. and having, its intermediate portion engaging the .nut and-a .spring surrounding the bolt between the nut and the bracketrto cause positive feed ofthe nut.

HOWAEDC. CLARENCE A. MICHEL. 

